Acadia National Park

Description  ADULT MALE Has olive-green back, wings, and tail. Has a gray hood, palest on throat and darkest on lower margin. Note the striking white eyering. Underparts are otherwise bright yellow, with olive wash on flanks. Legs are pinkish. ADULT FEMALE Similar, but with duller, browner hood. IMMATURE Recalls adult female, but hood and upperparts are warmer buff-brown.

Dimensions  Length: 5 1/2" (14 cm)

Habitat  Scarce summer visitor (mainly May-Aug) to boggy terrain with thick brush in boreal forests. Winters in South America.

Observation Tips  To find this elusive species, learn the song from recordings and visit suitable habitats in spring.

Range  Plains, Florida, Western Canada, Texas, California, Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, New England, Eastern Canada, Southeast

Voice  Song is a rich, chirpy wee-chup'chup, wee-chup'chup, wee-chup'chup, wee-chup'chup, wee; buzzing call is seldom heard.

Discussion  Robust, but relatively sleek-looking terrestrial wood-warbler. Furtive behavior and largely inaccessible breeding habitat make it a challenge to see. Complete white eyering is a reliable feature in all birds. Sexes are separable.